A Trick Of Time
by Skoellya Seyth
Summary: The Ninth Doctor and Rose, friendship. Based on a single quote from 'The Doctor Dances' the Doctor avoids Rose while planning a surprise. Please R


**From one of my favourite lines in the first series of the new Doctor Who, it's just another weird little idea I had. Set before the Empty Child, Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: The Doctor and all related characters with the exception of original characters do not belong to me and I am not making any profit from this.**

**x **

The doctor was rummaging through his wardrobe when Rose came up behind him. She almost grinned as he had that same intense glare that he used on aliens like the Slitheen that tried to destroy the world, when he was simply looking for some clothes. He felt her watching him and turned around raising an eyebrow.

'What's so funny?' He asked accusingly. It wasn't his ears, was it? No, that joke had long been worn out. He hoped. His ears weren't that bad. Not that he judged himself by human standards, of course. Rose shrugged and smiled whilst the Doctor turned back to looking through the wardrobe. Rose peered over his shoulder but he blocked her with a playful expression. 'And what do you think you're doing?'

'Hey, I'm just seeing if you need a hand, alright!' She said huffily, crossing her arms. The Doctor took her shoulders and steered her gently out of the room. He patted her on the back before shoving her forward and shutting the doors on her.

'I'll only be a minute, ta!'

'Wha-?' Her voice took on a dangerous tone that the Doctor had learnt to try and divert. 'Doctor.'

'Look, I'll be out soon, promise!'

'You'd better be.' The Doctor grinned as he heard the mumble through the door and ran back to a specific point in the wardrobe. Taking out the first suit he saw he held it out in front of him as if it were some mighty prize.

'Fantastic!'

The Doctor looked around him guiltily as he entered the corridor, having left the wardrobe by a side door concealed behind several suits of armour he bounded along his ship to an offset room that to all appearances resembled a scrap yard, filled with broken tables, mouldy sofas he knew the TARDIS resented him for not chucking out.

_Sorry old girl, I'll get round to it. _The Doctor thought whilst the TARDIS jerked irksomely in the time stream in response. He gave the ceiling a half serious reproachful glare before settling his expression on the object he'd been looking for in the room. His face lit up with a disarming grin and he peered out into the corridor wary Rose might be prowling the TARDIS for him. It would be worth it though.

He had his hands full with the suit and the object, so he had to careful he didn't trip over his own feet. This regeneration was a little taller than he was used to, but at least it meant he could see over the pile of clothes he carried. He tensed, eyes alert, as he heard a noise from behind him that sounded like a very angry Rose Tyler.

Ducking into a room he had long forgot about occupied with three thousandth century sculpture, he looked at one of his previous selves and thought he had looked rather dashing in that scarf. Still, his leather jacket was practical.

He winced and refocused on his attention on a reverberating bang that had been Rose kicking the door. She was a smart one but she couldn't beat his ultimate weapon. The doctor kissed his sonic screwdriver and decided now might be a good time to change into the suit.

It was uncomfortable, a couple of inches short, itchy, and worn. Well, he had been running away from the Empress of the Silver Mugs when wearing it. She hadn't exactly been a looker. He put his leather jacket on the statue of his younger regeneration and thought the scarf went rather well, but he couldn't dwell on it now.

Finally ready, he dreaded to think what Rose would say if she caught him now. He quietly opened the door and seeing that the coast was clear, ran for the control room. Reaching it at last he locked in the final co-ordinates and hoped the TARDIS would obey where he wanted to go this time, after all he had a mission. Sort of.

He silently asked the TARDIS to keep Rose there until he'd finished and he was relieved when his ship responded in the affirmative. Heading out the doors he gave the woodwork a grateful pat as he saw he was where he was supposed to be and stepped out into the Powel estate.

Rose heard the familiar sound of the TARDIS landing and tried to find the control room, which should just be around the corner, only to find she was back at her room. Taking a left she found a highly decorated room that might have been in Roman style mosaics although she found it odd that some of them included hairy bug eyed creatures. Shaking her head she stepped out the door she had come through only to find the wardrobe. She tried the same thing again with similar results until she sat down on some steps wondering _what the hell is going on here?_

'Rose, darlin', don't do that. Mickey get back here!' A familiar voice. Jackie Tyler, the first human mother to have slapped him. He watched her approach warily as she reined in the two twelve year olds. Well, the false beard would do wonders…

He was sitting in the Santa's grotto that had been set up if the full kit, having temporarily misdirected the actual Santa to Kensington. He sat with the red hat, red suit, cute little golden buckled belt… Rose will _never_ know. Maybe. Takes half the fun away if he's not found out but… he could afford to wait a while.

He looked at the bike he had procured from the TARDIS in all its new and shiny glory. He'd put a bow on it to make it look more Christmas-ish and it looked well, like a bike. Still. It's the thought that counts. He tried to smile a Father Christmas smile as a curious twelve year old Rose Tyler approached.

'Merry Christmas!' The Doctor said happily, he would forgo the 'Ho, ho, ho' part. Rose apparently had learnt her familiar 'un-impressed' look at an early age. He grinned reassuringly and the younger Rose looked a little more comfortable. He then said softly as he rolled the bike towards her 'Here you go.'

Rose looked at the strange Santa slightly agape, her jaw dropping at the slightly above the normal range bike. 'Why…?' She asked, blinking in surprise.

'Hey it's a Christmas gift, I don't need a reason, do I?' The Santa with the Northern accent said defensively although Rose thought she sensed he was joking. She muttered under her breath.

'S'pose not.' Rose narrowed her eyes as the strange man backed away as her mother approached and disappeared towards the back door. Before he went she called out 'Thanks!'

'Don't worry about it,' the strange Santa replied, waving. Rose stood there confused as he Mum fussed over the new bike but eventually she dropped her suspicions and enjoyed the new present. Over time she had ultimately grown out of the bike and forgotten it, but she had never thrown it away and it was kept in a quiet part of her flat beneath some shelves filled up with board games, slowly gathering dust.

Occasionally her mother would think about the kind man who had given it to them, that year they had been more strapped for cash than usual and Rose might not have been terribly lucky with her other Christmas gifts from Mo.

The Doctor grinned another silly grin as he saw Rose show the bike to Mickey who had a distinct impression that meant "I'm jealous but won't admit it" and then paled as he remembered he'd left his Rose wondering around the TARDIS, very, very angry.

However first he'd have to get back and change without being noticed, that would be worse than delaying Miss Tyler a little longer after all he could still make it up to her by visiting the Seventeenth Dynasty of the new Plutonian Empire. Maybe he could even take her to the Planet Mop, they had great Sundaes... yep that would calm Rose down… he winced as he reached the TARDIS and heard another furious yell… ok, _should_ calm her down…

"_Look at you, beaming away like you're father Christmas.'_

'_Who says I'm not? Red bike when you were twelve.'_

**_End._ x**

**That quote was from 'The Doctor Dances' one of my favourite episodes in the series. Hope you liked, please let me know what you think by review, constructive criticism welcome.**


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